蓼喰人
After enjoying traditional Edo-style sushi at "Bentenzan Miyake Kojushi," I wandered around the Nakamise and Kaminarimon areas for the first time in a while. Since it's a long weekend, there are quite a few people out and about, and I can see some foreign tourists as well. It's the equinoctial week, so I decided to buy an offering for the Buddhist altar, and chose this "kintsuba" specialty store, known for their kintsuba made with sweet potato paste, especially using Satsuma sweet potatoes. The store is located facing the current "Orange Street" (formerly the City Hall Street), with a small and quaint appearance. My late grandmother loved the sweet potato yokan from "Funawa," and I still buy it occasionally, but this time I chose this shop across from it. Upon entering the store, I saw creatively designed sweets made with various colors of sweet potatoes, with the main "sweet potato kintsuba" called "Imo Kin" displayed in the front glass case, along with the seasonal "Edo kintsuba with chestnuts" product. When I asked the modern-looking young shopkeeper for recommendations, he suggested these two. I bought an assortment with 3 pieces of each. The prices were 140 yen for Imo Kin and 210 yen for Edo kintsuba. The expiration date is one day from the date of purchase. I brought them home, offered them at the Buddhist altar, and tried them little by little until the next day. I've never been a fan of sweet bean paste wagashi, and when I was a child, I never willingly ate kintsuba, yokan, or senbei, but lately it's not that bad. The kintsuba I held had a slightly thick skin and a moist texture as if it had just been made. When I cut the "Imo Kin" with a knife, it had a beautiful cross-section and a smooth texture. The taste was not only naturally sweet but also had added sugar, yet it wasn't too heavy. On the other hand, the "Edo kintsuba" had plenty of coarsely crushed chestnuts along with the remaining sweet bean paste, giving it a satisfying texture. The next day, I tried warming them in the toaster oven for 2-3 minutes, and the crispy skin and heated sweet bean paste offered a different texture and flavor, which was delicious. In Asakusa, I have also used "Funawa" for sweet potato yokan and "Chibaya" for daigakuimo, but this "Imo Kin" also has a good taste. I think it's a great choice for a souvenir.